End table with concealed built-in refrigerator

ABSTRACT

An end table with a concealed built-in refrigerator unit for use next to a chair, sofa, or bed with a front door that opens down like a dishwasher door for easy access to the interior compartment of the refrigerator unit to retrieve canned and bottled beverages or food, while in a seated position. The built-in refrigerator of the end table has a thermoelectric Danby Diplomat type cooling system for maximum efficiency in cooling and whisper soft operation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to end tables popularly used next to a bed, chair, sofa, or other related furniture. More particularly, the invention relates to an end table with a built-in concealed refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The American Heritage Dictionary defines an end table as a small table, usually placed at either end of a couch or beside a chair. End tables are also commonly used as bedside tables. Therefore, advantageously, end tables act as appendages to other furniture. End tables placed next to another piece of furniture such as a couch, chair, or bed are generally used for supporting other accessories such as a lamp, clock, photo frame, books, or other memorabilia. They also provide a convenient surface for parking a can or glass of beverage, or a plate of food while watching television from a chair or couch next to the table. In general, the end table is an indispensable piece of furniture in a house, parlor, or lounge. The first known use of an end table in recorded history was around 1851.

Lounging with a can or bottle of soda, beer, and glasses of wine or other drinks while watching sports, movies, or other shows is a common practice that demands replenishment of the beverages at periodic intervals, requiring the person to get up from their seats to fetch the drink from a refrigerator that may be located in another room, primarily, the kitchen. The periodic commute to the kitchen refrigerator to fetch a beverage or food in the midst of watching an exciting game, movie, or other entertainment can be frustrating as it would mean missing important segments of the game, movie, or other shows as the case may be.

The convenience of being able to fetch a drink or get some food when seated in a chair or sofa watching a game, movie, or show without having to leave the seats is an idea that would be popular and welcomed by the aficionados of sports, movies, or other entertainment shows. The present invention provides that convenience in the form of an end table with a built-in refrigerator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an end table that has a concealed built-in refrigerator capable of holding beverage cans and bottles as well as food containers.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the end table is constructed of hardwood such as maple, with a tobacco, espresso, or black finish on the outside. In this embodiment of the invention, each of the finishes is paired with hardware that accents the woods shine and luster and conveys the appearance of a standard end table when observed from the outside. In this embodiment of the invention, the inside of the end table is equipped with a refrigerator unit that is not visible from the outside, but accessible through the front door of the end table.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the front door of the end table is constructed from a single panel of wood hingedly connected to the main frame of the end table at the front through the bottom horizontal end of the table so that the front door of the end table can be opened downward in the manner of a dishwasher door to reveal the refrigerator unit ensconced within the hollow body of the end table. The ability to open the front door of the end table downward allows for easy access of beverage cans, bottles and food from the refrigerated interior from a sitting position on a chair, or sofa next to the end table. In this embodiment, the end table has a faux front door mimicking actual drawers with handles juxtaposed at the appropriate spots for each drawer.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the back of the end table has a hollow opening to allow the refrigerator unit to be inserted into the cavity of the end table with the front of the refrigerator unit facing the inside front door of the end table.

In the exemplary embodiment of the end table of the present invention, the inside front door of the end table is configured with removable shelves and racks to hold beverage cans and bottles of various heights such as wine bottles within the refrigerator unit. In this embodiment, the inside of the refrigerator unit ensconced within the hollow frame of the end table is partitioned into shelves as in a standard refrigerator to facilitate placement of food and food containers besides beverage cans and bottles.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention the back of the end table may be covered with a wood panel to hide the back end of the refrigerator unit that accommodates the thermoelectric cooling unit condenser and other related parts. In a related embodiment of the invention, the bottom of the table is constructed from plywood with a cutout to allow ventilation to the underside of the refrigerator unit and is also sufficiently elevated from the floor with legs of appropriate height to allow for better airflow.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator unit ensconced within the end table uses a Danby Diplomat thermoelectric cooling unit that runs whisper quiet and cools to 30 degrees below ambient temperature, making it more environmentally friendly than a conventional refrigerator unit. In a related embodiment of the invention, the interior of the refrigerator unit is lit by an LED light that uses less energy and produces minimal heat.

In this summary of the invention and in the specification in general, the various references to “exemplary embodiment” “related embodiment,” or “yet another embodiment,” do not all necessarily refer to the same embodiment (s). Rather, these references in general mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments of the invention. It should be understood and obvious to one skilled in the art that the embodiments thus described may be further modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention as described in the summary of the invention will be further appreciated and will become obvious to one skilled in the art when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, detailed description of the invention and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the end table as seen from the outside.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the end table of the present invention with the front door hinged open to reveal the concealed refrigerator unit ensconced within the table.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the back side of the end table showing the metal grill frame on the back end of the refrigerator unit.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front of the end table showing the hardware features.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the front of the end table with the front door open to reveal the hollow inside space for the placement of the refrigerator unit.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the back of the end table showing the inside cavity for placement of the refrigerator unit.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the end table.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the back of the end table covered with a wood panel to conceal the refrigerator unit back end.

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the top of the end table.

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of the bottom of the end table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an end table housing a concealed built-in refrigerator unit with shelves and racks to hold beverage cans, bottles of wine and other beverages as well as food and food containers. In the exemplary embodiment of the end table of the present invention, the table is built around a Danby Diplomat thermoelectric cooling unit which runs off 110 voltage electricity and is approximately 1.8 cubic feet.

The end table is constructed from maple or other hardwood and finished on the exterior in a color of choice such as tobacco, espresso and black with matching hardware to accent the woods shine and luster. In the exemplary embodiment of the end table of the present invention, the table is approximately 24 inches tall, 21 inches wide and 21 inches deep and fits perfectly next to any couch, chair, sofa, or bed.

Referring now to the drawings, more specifically to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the end table 10 of the present invention is shown with the faux front door 12 mimicking actual drawers 1 and 2 with hardware handles 3 and 4 juxtaposed at the appropriate spots for each drawer. In this embodiment, the handles 3 and 4 may be replaced by handles of other shapes, sizes and ornamental designs in other embodiments of the end table 10.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the end table 10 of the present invention with the front door hinged open to reveal the concealed refrigerator unit ensconced within the table. The inside surface 14 of the front door 12 is overlaid with thermoplastic material that is molded into shelves and racks to hold beverage cans and bottles. The interior refrigerator unit 16 is equipped with shelves to hold beverage cans, bottles, and food containers as well as fresh food that can be held outside containers such as fruits, vegetables etc. In this embodiment of the end table 10 the refrigerator unit within the end table 10 has the capacity to hold 40 beverage cans or 30 bottles of various sizes, including wine bottles.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the back side of the end table 10 showing the back end of the refrigerator unit with its grilled metal frame 18. In this embodiment of the end table 10 of the present invention, the back side of the end table 10 may be left open and placed against a wall to conceal the grilled metal frame 18 or alternately covered with a wood panel provided there are appropriate cut outs or holes on the wood panel for ventilation of the thermal cooling unit of the refrigerator. The back side of the end table 10 should in general be appropriately placed at least 4 inches from the wall for best cooling results. The ¾ inch overhang on the top surface panel of the end table 10 facilitates the placement of the back side of the table, a distance from the wall.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the end table 10 with the front faux door 12 showing the distinct partition of the faux drawers 1 and 2 with their respective hardware handles 3 and 4.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the front of the end table 10 with the front door 12 hingedly open to reveal the hollow inside space for the placement of the refrigerator unit.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the back of the end table 10 showing the inside cavity for placement of the refrigerator unit and the front door 12 hingedly open at the front of the table.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the end table 10 and the hardware handles 3 and 4.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the back side of the end table 10 covered with a wood panel to conceal the refrigerator unit back end.

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the top 22 of the end table 10. In the exemplary embodiment of the end table 10 the top 22 of the table has a ¼ inch lip inset edge band that is higher than the rest of the top 22.

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of the bottom of the end table 10.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the end table 10 of the present invention as described herein do not limit any application or scope of the invention and that the invention can be carried out and practiced in various ways and implemented in embodiments other than the ones outlined in the description above. It is to be further understood that the phraseology and terminology used to describe the invention are for descriptive purposes only. In general, it should be understood and obvious to one skilled in the art that alternatives, modifications and variations of the embodiments of the invention may be construed as being within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An end table with a concealed built-in refrigerator comprising: a table structure member; a refrigerator unit member housed within said table structure member; a faux front door member hingedly attached to the said table structure member at its front horizontal base end; and said faux front door member opening downward for easy access to the interior compartment of the said refrigerator unit member.
 2. The end table as recited in claim 1 wherein the table structure member is constructed of maple or other hardwood.
 3. The end table as recited in claim 1 wherein the table structure member has an inside hollow cavity space to house the refrigerator unit member.
 4. The end table as recited in claim 1 wherein the table structure member is finished on the outside in different colors.
 5. The end table as recited in claim 1 wherein the faux front door member has faux drawers with hardware handles.
 6. The end table as recited in claim 5 wherein the hardware handles may be of different shapes, sizes and designs.
 7. The end table as recited in claim 1 wherein the top of the table structure member has an inset edge band to create a lip that is higher than the rest of the top table surface.
 8. The end table as recited in claim 1 wherein the refrigerator unit member has a plurality of shelves and racks disposed within the interior refrigerated compartment to hold beverage cans, bottles, food containers, and food.
 9. The end table as recited in claim 1 wherein the refrigerator member is equipped with a thermoelectric cooling unit that allows for extremely quiet function.
 10. The end table as recited in claim 1 wherein the refrigerator unit member uses an LED light to minimize heat production and save energy. 